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Sunday, 17 April 2011

Belton House

I joined the Nation Trust this month for the second year. There are quite a few of their properties nearby to us and so its a good opportunity to see them all and it not cost a small fortune. We went to Belton House as our first trip as members. The house was featured in two BBC drama's in 1988 and 1995, the latter being the television adaptation of 'Pride and Prejudice'. It has a very long history and is quite an intriguing property! We had visited here a few years earlier and had such a fantastic day so I have really good memories of being here. Belton House boasts "Lincolnshire's largest adventure playground" and its not kidding! Its really huge, although since all my children have gotten so big recently (all at once it seems?) it didn't seem as big as last time? Still, it was lovely to see all of the children running around, climbing, sliding and swinging!

Ruben loved this musical switch!

The slide was fantastic, I even had a go myself, when no one was looking!

The tyre-rope, tight-rope! We all loved this one but it was near on impossible to get across!!

Still, we all gave it a good go! Ruben managed to get all the way across with a little bit of help!

A rare, rare, rare moment. Bailey and Piper talking to each other and not arguing!

Cordelia did a lovely picture with her pastel crayons

The mini waterfall was lovely

Walking up to the house. On our last visit, we didn't visit the house because they lend to be the most unchildfriendly places and it makes me quite stressy constantly saying "don't touch". Its annoying though because, if we don't take our children around these properties and educate them then how on earth will they ever learn to appreciate them? They are often full of older couples who 'tut' when children are looking around too, it makes me very cross! Piper really wanted to look around this time though so I thought I would brave the "tut-tut's"!

It was very grand inside. The family logo was a greyhound. This is Ruben's idea of a great dog because it fits to of his specifications-its tall and skinny! He loves tall, skinny dogs! No idea why, especially since we have a rather plump Jack Russell??

This was Cordelia holding a replica of the King's seal. This was used to sign very important documents. This was really interesting to see as it tied in with when we saw the Magna Carta at Lincoln Castle. The house seems to be very popular and busy at the moment due to film release of 'The Kings Speech'. There were lots of little things around the house that made connections with Peregrine Cust, 6th Baron Brownlow. In the 1930's he was very close friends with the Prince of Wales, who was later Kind Edward Vlll, and Peregrine was made 'Lord-in-Waiting'. He became heavily involved in the King's abdication crisis in 1936 and after refusing to attend the wedding of Edward and Wallis' wedding in 1937 was later replaced as 'Lord-in-Waiting'.

I loved these big treasure chests

We were told to look carefully around the house as there were lots of greyhounds to be found! The kids spotted this gold one in the ceiling cove above us.

All in all it was a rather lovely, history-filled day. It has made me even more interested in the King's abdication saga anyway. Which just goes to show that its not just the children that learn when we go to these places!!

I think the highlight for Cordelia though, might possibly have been the fact that the 'Grantham Cup' horse trials were on the day we visited. We couldn't go in as we didn't have tickets but we could see lots of horses using the jumps, which made her very, very happy!!

2 comments:

We love National Trust this end too - what a fabulous play ground Belton House have. Do you have the home edders membership - it saves a great deal cost wise, though you can only gain entry during term time...

Great to catch up with what you've all been up to again, I did begin to wonder where you'd got to ;-)

We had home edders membership last year but I found it too restricting as I often forget when term time is so just opted for the normal membership this time as it only works out at two visits to Belton House!

Yes we have been a little bit MIA recently! Its so easy to get caught up in life and so hard to get near the PC!!